A Theory — The location of Robb's Letter

[butterbumps!]

Old town is where history is written. It can be made official there perhaps.

But it's official as soon as Robb and his bannermen put their seals on it. Documents are decidedly not sent to Oldtown to be made "official."

In the original reddit post, we definitely discussed the possibility that the letter may have been destined for Eastwatch or White Harbor.

The idea behind the letter going to Oldtown was that any of the signatory bannermen could proclaim Jon's legitimization and declare that the letter was in safe keeping in Oldtown, allowing verification of an official, authentic decree by an arguably neutral party.

I get the idea of safe-keeping. I'm not trying to dispel the theory so much as trying to tease out what you think Robb would be wanting accomplish by sending this via the captain.

Are you thinking that he wanted verbal word to reach Jon via Maege/ Glover, but have the will vaulted by a 3rd party in the event it was ever challenged? My issue with this is that the Robb's bannermen weren't going to be the party thought to challenge this at the time. That is, given that Robb didn't expect the RW, he had no reason to believe the bannermen would be the ones who wouldn't comply. The issue was making sure the Nights Watch would release Jon. At this point in time, Jon's the one who needs paper documentation.

I think Bolton might have a copy and know what is in it.

I'd thought it was with Robb at the Twins, and yea, Bolton knows about it. If there was one copy and it ended up with the Freys/ Bolton, that would also satisfy why we've never heard of it again-- they would be in no hurry to acknowledge that Robb has a living heir.

[TheChemicalSyndicate]

I think Jason Mallister brings the Captain of the ship because they know that he has been on the Iron Islands recently and Robb would want to hear news of that importance straight from the horses mouth. I certainly don't think he is sending his will to Oldtown, a city in a region controlled by people he is at war with. This idea does raise some interesting things, but I don't think the main body is really plausible.

[Fightbringer]

Big question for me is, if Robb wants the will to be authenticated or whatever, and he is indeed sending it to Oldtown, what makes him the citadel will do this? Maybe you'd find one maester who might do that, but no way would the leaders of the citadel allow it, they'd have far too much to lose, given that the IT definitely won't look kindly on them doing that, and they'd have very little to gain from doing it, Oldtown being in the south and all. They might be able to get it by them without them finding out, but even the legitimacy would be doubted. All this begs the question, why would Robb bother with something so complicated and full of risks? Especially since he went to so much difficulty to be cautious with this?

Its easier just to do what the conventional theories say he did, which is safer, its quite feasible that Seagard wasnt searched, or not thoroughly, when the Freys took it, they are hardly known for there effectiveness as a house after all

[bent branch]

The will was cached in the Hag's Mire.

[Not Dead Just Broken]

I tend to think he would have sent his will somewhere he thought it would be safe. I don't think he would think Oldtown was safe. However, if it is Sam that uncovers the letter he knows that the will was made under false pretenses. Sam is one of the few people who knows that Bran is alive and he would know that Robb would not intentionally disinherit his true born brother.

There's also a bit of a catch-22 with the will. In order for it to be accepted that Robb legitimized Jon, the North would have to recognize the legitimacy of the King in the North. Right now, the Northern houses have been welcomed back into the King's Peace and as a result have disavowed the KitN and Robb's legitimacy as a King. Since only a King can legitimize a bastard, Jon can't be a Stark unless a King makes him one. He's refused Stannis' offer already and Tommen seems unlikely to make such an offer. So, in order for Robb's will to be fulfilled, the Northern lords would have to simultaneously declare themselves independent, re-acknowledge Robb's reign and accept Jon as KitN because Jon can't be King unless he's legitimate and he can't be legitimate unless he's King.

Nevermind that the two most loyal Northern Lords either have or may have information which would lead them to believe that Robb's will was written under false pretenses. Wyman Manderly knows Bran and Rickon are alive and Howland Reed theoretically knows that Robb isn't Ned Stark's son (if R+L=J or any other Jon=Targ theory is correct).

[Lady Arya's Song]

I realize this is an older thread but still the theory that the Myraham went to OldTown with Robb's will is interesting.

Two clues that I did not see mentioned ..hopefully I did not miss them.

Sam noticed a young girl with a small baby as he is walking towards the Citadel. Is it possible Theon has a child with the daughter of the Myraham?

Sam noticed acolytes writing wills for people. Interesting that Martin deliberately mentions wills being written by the Citadel. Is it possible the Citadel has a vault that holds these wills and you need a key to open the vault?

[Mithras]

It made him wonder if even Horn Hill was truly safe. The Tarly lands lay inland amidst thickly wooded foothills, a hundred leagues northeast of Oldtown and a long way from any coast. They should be well beyond the reach of ironmen and longships, even with his lord father off fighting in the riverlands and the castle lightly held. The Young Wolf had no doubt thought the same was true of Winterfell until the night that Theon Turncloak scaled his walls. Sam could not bear the thought that he might have brought Gilly and her babe all this long way to keep them out of harm, only to abandon them in the midst of war.

Sam wonders whether Horn Hill is safe from ironborn attack or not. Then suspiciously, he mentions Theon.

At the Weeping Dock, he watched two acolytes help an old man into a boat for the short voyage to the Bloody Isle. A young mother climbed in after him, a babe not much older than Gilly’s squalling in her arms.

What is this Bloody Isle and the short voyage to there, what are these acolytes doing, who is the old man and the mother with a baby is a mystery. However, weeping blood was attributed to Lyanna several times and Jon dreamed of Gilly weeping blood more than once if I remember correctly. Lyanna had a secret son and Gilly’s son was replaced by another. I think we have every reason to suspect that this baby Sam saw might be important and the reference to Theon in this very chapter might suggest that this baby might be Theon’s bastard.

[teotsi21]

could it be that Brynden got it when he like-a-bossed his way out of riverrun?

Seems kinda unlikely, since at some point he says that Catelyn doesn't trust Jon, and so does he.